Quebec City Officially Chose Its Flashy New Trams & They Sound Nicer Than The Montreal Metro
They will have on-board Wi-Fi.
A rendering of a proposed tramway lane in Quebec City.
Quebec City is set to get 34 modern, flashy trams for its new 19.3-kilometre tramway. The city has awarded a CA$1.34 billion contract to French company Alstom for the production and maintenance of the vehicles. The company will design and assemble them in Quebec.
The trams will come from Alstom's low-floor Citadis line, whose products are already in use or forthcoming in 70 cities around the world. In a press release, the company says the electric cars will be "comfortable, modern and spacious," and "adapted to the climatic and topographical conditions of Quebec City."
The Tramway de Québec project website further states the vehicles will have heating and air conditioning; Wi-Fi; tripods, poles and straps for passenger support; and three types of seating: fixed seats, folding seats and bum rests. They'll be designed to fit 3.3 people per square metre for a total capacity of 260 people per vehicle.
In a statement, Alstom Americas President Michael Keroullé said the company is "honoured by the trust placed in us by the administration and elected representatives of Quebec City, and [...] committed to working in partnership with the City to offer a high quality and reliable product, a solution designed and assembled by our teams in Quebec, serving Quebec."
Current plans for the Quebec City Tramway project call for 29 stations along an east-west axis through the city, including stops at the Université Laval campus, Colline Parlementaire and the Station D'Youville.
Preparatory construction work is underway. The tramway is supposed to enter operation in 2028.